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<p>Wetland pastures support both livestock-based livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. However, their strong spatial heterogeneity and seasonal hydrological variability complicate the interpretation of grazing patterns, particularly under long-established free-ranging systems where grazing is not experimentally controlled. This study aimed to quantify habitat-specific patterns of forage production and realized grazing dynamics in the Kızılırmak Delta wetland under existing free-grazing conditions, providing an observational assessment of how different wetland habitats function within an open-grazed system. The study was conducted during 2022–2023 across four distinct wetland habitat classes: permanent wet meadows, coastal dunes/sandy grasslands, grazed permanent pastures, and seasonally flooded pastures. Grazing occurred naturally without experimental manipulation of animal movement or stocking intensity. Dry matter yield, realized grazing capacity, grazing area per buffalo, and grazing degree were estimated monthly throughout the grazing season. Data were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and spatiotemporal patterns were explored using hierarchical clustering heatmaps. Significant habitat-related differences were observed in botanical composition, species richness, and plant quality grade (P ≤ 0.01). Seasonally flooded pastures exhibited the highest average dry matter yield (9.23 t ha⁻<sup>1</sup>), the highest realized grazing capacity (3.100 head), and the lowest grazing area requirement per buffalo (1.20 ha head⁻<sup>1</sup>). Across habitats, forage availability and grazing indicators showed strong seasonal variation, with peak values occurring following seasonal flood recession in habitats that became accessible later in the grazing period. The results indicate that forage production and grazing dynamics in the Kızılırmak Delta vary substantially among wetland habitat types and across seasons. Observed differences represent realized grazing patterns shaped by habitat characteristics and seasonal accessibility within a free-ranging system rather than outcomes of active grazing management.</p>

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Habitat-based forage productivity and grazing dynamics in a heterogeneous wetland system

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月27日

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  • Sebahattin Albayrak,
  • Emire Elmas,
  • Kiraz Erciyas-Yavuz,
  • Mustafa Güler

摘要

Wetland pastures support both livestock-based livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. However, their strong spatial heterogeneity and seasonal hydrological variability complicate the interpretation of grazing patterns, particularly under long-established free-ranging systems where grazing is not experimentally controlled. This study aimed to quantify habitat-specific patterns of forage production and realized grazing dynamics in the Kızılırmak Delta wetland under existing free-grazing conditions, providing an observational assessment of how different wetland habitats function within an open-grazed system. The study was conducted during 2022–2023 across four distinct wetland habitat classes: permanent wet meadows, coastal dunes/sandy grasslands, grazed permanent pastures, and seasonally flooded pastures. Grazing occurred naturally without experimental manipulation of animal movement or stocking intensity. Dry matter yield, realized grazing capacity, grazing area per buffalo, and grazing degree were estimated monthly throughout the grazing season. Data were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and spatiotemporal patterns were explored using hierarchical clustering heatmaps. Significant habitat-related differences were observed in botanical composition, species richness, and plant quality grade (P ≤ 0.01). Seasonally flooded pastures exhibited the highest average dry matter yield (9.23 t ha⁻1), the highest realized grazing capacity (3.100 head), and the lowest grazing area requirement per buffalo (1.20 ha head⁻1). Across habitats, forage availability and grazing indicators showed strong seasonal variation, with peak values occurring following seasonal flood recession in habitats that became accessible later in the grazing period. The results indicate that forage production and grazing dynamics in the Kızılırmak Delta vary substantially among wetland habitat types and across seasons. Observed differences represent realized grazing patterns shaped by habitat characteristics and seasonal accessibility within a free-ranging system rather than outcomes of active grazing management.